1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for lowering people and material from physical heights. In particular, this invention advances a system incorporating a movable lever arm which is spring biased toward the braking disposition for influencing the amount of friction between various sections of cable used in lowering as the various sections of cable interactively contact one another in opposed directions about strategically placed multiple rollers.
2. Prior Art
The desire to be able to lower both people and materials from physical heights for business, recreational and military purposes under routine and emergency circumstances has been long recognized. The usefulness of such a lowering device has resulted in the issuance of the following related patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Patentee(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ G. W. Eyler 195,354 September 18, 1877 J. H. Burks 288,304 November 13, 1883 C. C. Halstead 648,404 May 1, 1900 E. A. Meaders 797,903 August 22, 1905 W. D. Wylie 2,515,325 July 18, 1950 F. A. Thoennes 2,585,876 February 12, 1952 ______________________________________
The present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that the present invention allows for the lowering of materials from physical heights such as buildings, aircraft, ships, trees, mountains, or other structures for business, pleasure, or military purposes under routine and emergency circumstances, as well as the lowering of an individual. Whereas the prior art taught only the lowering of an individual.
Further, the present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that it teaches the incorporation of a lever arm which influences the amount of friction between various sections of cable used in the lowering process as the various sections of cable interactively contact one another in opposed directions. This lever is under the control of the user of the apparatus and is spring biased toward the braking disposition. If the user of the apparatus releases the lever and the lever is under the full influence of the spring, the movement of the cable will cease and the apparatus will remain stationary. This lever functions by altering the relative position of the rollers about which the cable passes during the lowering process, thereby altering the interactive contact of the various cable sections.